


The Betrayer and the Hounds (Ashur)

by Cheryl1964



Series: Mistaken Identity [3]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 20:10:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4759400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheryl1964/pseuds/Cheryl1964
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashur suffers in the afterlife for his betrayals</p><p>Bold text is current action and Italics is Ashur's memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Betrayer and the Hounds (Ashur)

**Ashur’s eyes flew open and once again he found himself whole after being torn apart by the thrice damned hounds of Anubis. Once again he found himself wishing he could confront his living self and counsel a different path in life than the one he took that led here.**

**Here was an eternity of remembrance and punishment earned by the actions he chose to take. Once again it was time to relive his mistakes.**

  

 

_“Do not let him draw attention my friend.” Dagan looked up from the small boy at his side and glanced at the stranger who had spoken._

_Dagan studied the man. He was also Syrian; but not of Dagan’s tribe. “What concern is it of yours?”_

_“I seek only to warn of the perversions of these Roman shits.” The stranger nodded his chin at Dagan’s little brother Nasir who had finally fallen asleep due to exhaustion. “They would sell him first chance to a cunt peddler in this port. Such innocence commands high price among them. If he is not noticed in Damascus then there is better chance of him being sold to a Roman family of means who would at least raise him gently and not force him to pleasure diseased cock.”_

_“And how do you know so much of Roman ways?” Dagan snarled._

_“My clan once held treaty with them.” The stranger said. “The Roman cunts discovered opportunity to make treaty with a more powerful Bedouin tribe and did so at the expense of the treaty they held with us.” The stranger raised his hands showed the shackles encircling his wrists. “The cost of trusting Roman cunts to honor their word.”_

_Dagan grunted. “A thing many already know without need to stroke Roman cock for lesson to be learned._

_“I am called Ashur.” The stranger said. “How is it you find yourself here with one so young and innocent?”_

_“I am Dagan. The little one is the youngest of my brothers; Nasir.” Dagan answered. “Our village could not pay the taxes owed to the Senate; Nasir and I are settlement of the debt; as are many others aboard this fucking ship.”_

_“A sorrowful thing.” Ashur shifted himself a bit closer. “Yet my knowledge of Rome reveals a path to freedom for those brave enough to set foot upon it. Rome revels in its games; and gladiators have been known to gain their freedom from lash and shackle.”_

_Dagan glanced down and stroked his brother’s hair gently as the little boy began to stir. “How do they accomplish such a thing?”_

_“In rare cases the crowd will demand it,” Ashur said. “There are tales of gladiators winning the gift of the rudis for a match well fought upon the sands. Yet the more common way is simple and achievable for one who sets mind to goal; they purchase it.”_

 

_“How is a slave to purchase anything?” Dagan snorted. “They have no coin; nor need of it!”_

_“A gladiator earns coins for every win upon the sands.” Ashur said. “A frugal man would soon amass coin enough to purchase his freedom; and perhaps even one dear to him.”_

_“I could earn the coin to free Nasir?” Dagan asked._

_“In time; this ship takes course to the western coast of Italy.” Ashur said. “If we are lucky we will be among those still aboard when it reaches Neapolis. It is the port where the many ludus of Capua seek men to fight upon the sands of the arena. Were we to be purchased by one of them; our path will be assured.”_

 

* * *

 

 

 

_Dagan was careful in cautioning young Nasir to remain quiet and as well hidden behind others as he could yet eventually Fortuna ceased smiling upon them. It was in the port of Pompeii that Dagan’s worst fears were realized._

_Although the small boy had followed his elder brother’s instructions; a Roman visited the auctions that day specifically searching for a young slave to purchase. Nasir was exactly what the man sought and he wasted no time in negotiating the purchase. Dagan’s reaction however immediately set the slaver who owned the ship to thoughts of selling the elder in Neapolis when the older Syrian fought to keep the child in his arms._

_“Hold!” The Roman said as he studied Dagan. “The child holds meaning to you? Then know that he will not be mistreated in my home. My amanuensis grows older and does not have many years of service left. I will train this child to take his place to oversee all who serve me. His life will be one of respect and ease for a slave.”_

_With that the man turned and walked away clutching a struggling Nasir who was reaching out his little arms to the one familiar thing he had left in his life._

_“Remember him my friend.” Asher said. “We will be sent to Neapolis where the chance is good that we will find ourselves in a ludus. Save your winnings and purchase his freedom.”_

  

**Asher got to his feet. He had played out this scenario enough times to understand that the hounds would soon be on the hunt for him once again. He let his feet carry him forward even as memories of his past sins continued to weigh his steps.**

 

 

_“It was clear from the first day that Dagan far outperformed him as a gladiator recruit. The Syrian was quick to realize that if it came down to a choice; Dagan would remain in the ludus while Asher would be the one loaded on a cart destined for the mines. The arrival of the Gaul, Crixus, only underscored the risk Asher now found himself subject to._

_As usual; Asher had acted only to preserve his own skin after his vow to help Dagan free the innocent little brother whose tears at their forced parting had haunted the other Syrian. It was Asher that has convinced Dagan to take the murderous path that forever barred them from true brotherhood. Then he had blinded Dagan; his goal to remove the impediment to Asher’s own dreams._

_Dagan had discovered Asher’s true nature. More importantly; Dagan had quickly picked up the Latin tongue. Once Dagan had trained his lips to form the sounds; Asher would be of no worth. Once again Asher betrayed his vow by killing Dagan during the opening games of the new arena. Asher gave no further thought to the young boy he had once vowed to aid in freeing._

 

 

**Ashur shivered as the sound of hounds baying in the distance reached his ears. Although he knew that it would make no difference; the Syrian quickened his steps.**

 

 

_Ashur’s sins had not ended there. The next to fall victim to his treachery was Barca. Ashur had always held a respect borne of fear for the Beast of Carthage. Ashur held no doubt the Carthaginian could crush him without effort; yet unlike Dagan who held no respect from the brotherhood; Barca enjoyed a position of high regard with them and a seemingly solid trust from Batiatus._

_When Quintus Batiatus left the safety of his villa’s walls; it was Barca who followed like a shadow protecting the lanista’s back. And when Dominus put into motion his plans against Ovidius; it was Barca who saw them through. Barca was untouchable; or so Ashur thought._

_When Barca spoke to his boy of purchasing their freedom with the coin Ashur owed him; Ashur seized the opportunity presented. Batiatus’ paranoia and scheming destroyed any sanity the man once held. He was quick to believe that Barca had betrayed him and saw the Beast of Carthage to grass. Then the brotherhood finally broke under the pressure of Glaber’s rule. Ashur saw it as the opportunity he had been seeking._

_When he first looked around at the carnage left in the wake of Spartacus and his shits; he thought_

_himself the only survivor. The whimpering of Lucretia Batiatus however had proven otherwise. While he would like to claim it was some act of humanity on his part in saving her life; he had accepted the fact there was an ulterior motive at the root of it all._

_Of course Rome would react and move to crush what was at the time a pitiful rebellion. The one who assisted in bringing Spartacus and the rest to justice would gain his heart’s desire. Lucretia was always a means to an end; then Glaber gave him an opportunity to gain his desires even sooner. All he had to do was betray those he should have stood with. What joy in seeing those fucks brought low; even if but for a moment in time?_

_Yet the gods, treacherous fucks that they were, brought him full circle; even if he did not realize it at the time. There was no way he would have recognized the young Syrian that stood on Vesuvius’ peak as the boy from years past. Nasir had been present at the beginning of Asher’s path to ruin and he had witnessed its end; even if neither was aware of that fact until afterlife._

 

  

**The sound of baying hounds was close now. Ashur scrambled to find a route of escape even knowing that such was impossible.  This time is was a blind alleyway in the maze of streets that made up Capua that served as his trap. Ashur stood trembled as the dogs rounded the corner blocking his escape.**

**“I’m sorry! I should have taken a different path! I’m sorry! Apologies! Apologies!” Asher screamed as the tall form rounded the corner to stand among the snarling drooling pack of dogs.**

**Ashur pressed as tightly against the wall at his back as possible. At the opening of the alley Dagan turned his one eye upon Ashur and grinned as the hounds leapt forward; jaws snapping shut to allow sharp teeth to tear his flesh from bone once again.**


End file.
